Creating an Effective Onboarding Learning Experience:
Strategies for Success

Organizations with strong onboarding practices demonstrate significantly better talent outcomes than their peers. According to Brandon Hall Group’s Onboarding Study, companies at higher levels of onboarding maturity are up to 103% more likely to see improvements in key metrics like new hire retention and employee engagement. However, only about one-third of organizations currently receive extensive executive support for their onboarding initiatives, indicating a significant opportunity for improvement.

The Evolution of Modern Onboarding

Today’s organizations are seeking to accomplish multiple objectives through their onboarding programs:

• Accelerating time-to-proficiency for new hires
• Creating stronger cultural alignment and engagement
• Reducing early turnover
• Building cohesive teams and networks
• Supporting business growth through faster contributor readiness

However, many organizations face significant obstacles in achieving these objectives. According to our research, the top challenges include:

• Lack of data and insights (51% of organizations)
• Resistance to change (39%)
• Poor communication (35%)
• Limited resources and technology integration

Beyond Orientation: The Journey to Role Proficiency

It’s crucial to understand that HR orientation and true role-based onboarding serve different purposes. While orientation focuses on administrative tasks and basic organizational introduction, effective onboarding is a comprehensive journey that evolves over time:

3 Months: Focus on role clarity, basic skills acquisition and initial team integration.

6 Months: Deeper skill development, network building and independent contribution

9 Months: Advanced capabilities, cross-functional collaboration and mentorship

12 Months: Leadership development, innovation contribution and career pathing

The Impact on Employee Experience

A well-designed onboarding learning experience (LX) serves as the foundation for long-term employee success. Organizations that link onboarding to learning and development see:

• 80% higher new-hire engagement
• 59% increase in new-hire referrals
• 54% improvement in quality hires
• 103% better time-to-proficiency rates

Innovation in Action: AllenComm’s Approach

AllenComm, a Brandon Hall Group™ Smartchoice® Preferred Provider, has demonstrated excellence in creating transformative onboarding experiences. Their comprehensive approach includes:

• Performance mapping for business-critical objectives
• Personalized learning journeys
• Progress tracking dashboards
• Seamless HR systems integration
• Diverse learning assets including cohort activities, simulations, and microlearning
• Flexible technology solutions

Success Stories

Delta Airlines partnered with AllenComm to revolutionize their customer service representative onboarding. The results were impressive:

• 521% increase in training capacity
• 21-day reduction in training time
• 19% productivity improvement
• A 5-point increase in service resolution effectiveness

Read the full Delta case study.

ADM achieved remarkable improvements through their AllenComm partnership:

• 90% improvement in engagement during the first 30 days
• 70% better learning retention compared to paper documentation
• 75% reduction in unplanned downtime
• 90% reduction in product scrapping due to operator errors

Learn more about ADM’s success.

Key Metrics for Success

When evaluating onboarding effectiveness, organizations should focus on:

1. Time-to-Competency. Successful organizations track both the speed and quality of skill acquisition through their onboarding programs. This includes monitoring how quickly new hires reach key performance milestones and begin contributing independently to their teams. Brandon Hall Group™ research shows that organizations with technology-enabled onboarding are 33% more likely to see improvements in time to proficiency.
2. Strength of Affiliation. The connection between new hires and their organization must be measured systematically. This includes evaluating cultural alignment through engagement surveys, measuring team integration through manager feedback and tracking participation in company initiatives. Our research indicates that organizations gathering regular feedback from new hires are significantly more likely to see improved engagement levels.
3. Retention Metrics. Early turnover represents a significant cost to organizations. Tracking retention rates, particularly during the crucial first six months of employment, provides vital insights into onboarding effectiveness. According to our research, more than half of voluntary attrition for new hires occurs during this period, making it a critical measurement window.
4. Team Effectiveness The impact of onboarding on team dynamics can be measured through productivity metrics, collaboration assessments and cross-functional project outcomes. Organizations that include team-based learning in their onboarding show higher rates of successful integration and improved team performance.
5. Business Impact The ultimate measure of onboarding success is its impact on business outcomes. This includes tracking new hire contributions to department goals, measuring customer satisfaction levels for customer-facing roles and evaluating productivity improvements. Brandon Hall Group’s research shows that organizations with mature onboarding practices are 54% more likely to see improvements in customer satisfaction.

The AllenComm Advantage

1. Strategic Advisory Services. AllenComm’s approach begins with comprehensive performance mapping that aligns business objectives with personalized learning journeys. Their advisory team works directly with organizations to identify critical success metrics and design programs that deliver measurable results.
2. Design and Development Excellence Through innovative dashboard design and engaging instructional assets, AllenComm creates learning experiences that drive engagement and retention. Their development process incorporates leading practices in adult learning while maintaining focus on business outcomes.
3. Technology Integration AllenComm’s solutions seamlessly integrate with existing HR and business systems, providing comprehensive data analytics and reporting capabilities that demonstrate program impact. Their flexible technology approach allows organizations to enhance their current ecosystem without requiring complete system overhauls.
4. Comprehensive Learning Assets The learning experience includes strategically designed core tutorials, team-specific activities and project-based learning opportunities. AllenComm’s approach incorporates internal networking tools and achievement portfolios that support both immediate skill development and long-term career growth.

Conclusion

Creating an effective onboarding learning experience requires a strategic approach that balances immediate needs with long-term development goals. By partnering with experienced providers like AllenComm, organizations can transform their onboarding programs into powerful drivers of business success. The proven results from companies like Delta and ADM demonstrate that investing in comprehensive onboarding solutions delivers measurable impact across key performance indicators.

As organizations continue to evolve, the importance of effective onboarding will only grow. Those who invest in creating robust, engaging learning experiences for their new hires will be better positioned to attract, retain and develop top talent in an increasingly competitive marketplace.